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Syracuse punt return specialist will be open competition in preseason

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Ritchy Desir took over punt return duties from Steve Rene midway through last season. Defensive backs coach Fred Reed, who will head up the punt return unit this year, said it will be an open competition in the preseason.
(Frank Ordonez | The Post-Standard)

Today, I'm looking at the punt return unit, which will be coached up by Fred Reed, who spends most of his work on the defensive backs.

The Orange ranked 108th in the nation last year averaging 4.1 yards per punt return. To put that in perspective, Boston College led the country with a 21.7-yard average. Notre Dame, which finished the regular season unbeaten, averaged 2.2 yards per return.

Syracuse primarily used two return men. Steve Rene averaged 0.1 yards per return on eight attempts until he was replaced midway through the season by Ritchy Desir, who averaged 5.3 yards on 20 returns. His 33-yard return against UConn was a career long.

Certainly, the new staff is going to enter preseason practice with an open mind.

"What we will do, we'll make sure we open it up to competition," Reed said. "I think you always have to do that in the return game to see if you have anyone that can make a huge difference, an impact on the game with a big return.

"If there are guys who have experience, you'll lean on that a little bit, but we'll open it up to competition."

Desir might be one of the favorites to return punts heading into preseason camp.

But there's an intriguing option that could present itself once he steps foot on campus.

Freshman recruit Brisly Estime can fly. And Shafer had this to say about Estime soon after he faxed in his letter of intent to attend Syracuse back in February.

"He's only 5-foot-9, but he is dynamic. If you get a chance to watch his highlight tape on YouTube, you'll see return after return where he just makes people look silly."